Woody Wonderland
Directions: Connect with Blue Metal Road from the diagonal track found alongside The Fallen Tree Hideout, and walk for around ten minutes to Second Dam. Along the way you will pass a sign that directs you to First Dam, but continue down Blue Metal Road until it opens on the left and you see Second Dam.
Make your way anti-clockwise around the dam until you are at the fallen log. Directly facing the log, with the dam to your back, walk into the bush. You will have to cross a fallen, old fence. You have now entered the Woody Wonderland!
Myth and Mystery
Question: What secrets do you think are hidden within these woods? Are there hidden treasures, mythical creatures, or forgotten tales waiting to be discovered?
As you enter the enchanting Woody Wonderland, let your imagination run wild. Embark on a journey of curiosity and exploration as you seek to unveil the mysteries of this magical place.
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Blue Gum’s Reflection:
As part of an exploration on Greek mythology a Year 2/3 class became inspired by their relationship with the mountain.
The Myth of Mount Majura
CHAPTER 1
Deep in the Australian bush there was a kangaroo, a snake and a wombat. The wombat was fit and strong, like any wombat, but something was different. She had a white raindrop on her fur. The kangaroo and the wombat had been best friends for years but recently they had had an argument. Wombat was the God of the Water and had always shared it with all the mountain. But lately, Wombat had started being greedy with the water, keeping it all to herself. She had dug herself two dams that filled with water that no one else could use. So, the rest of the mountain begun to dry up! And the kangaroo was angry at Wombat and so he challenged the wombat to have a race up the mountain. The kangaroo thought it was going to be very easy because of his powerful legs and strong hop. So, the race started. The wombat said,
“This will be easy,” and off she went.
CHAPTER 2
Wombat runs very slowly, when Kangaroo hops very fast. Kangaroo thinks that he will win. But halfway through Kangaroo comes across a big log blocking the path! He spends a very long time looking for ways to get over it, after a bit Wombat catches up! Just then Kangaroo finds a way to get over and Wombat starts to dig under…and then a gigantic snake slithers out of the log! He was the God of Wisdom and Fairness and as soon as he saw them racing he called, ”SSSSTOP!!! YOU DON’T NEED TO RACE YOU NEED EACH OTHER!!!!!!”
CHAPTER 3
“Okay Wombat you should just share your water and get this over and done with,” said Snake.
“Never!!!!!!” cried Wombat.
“Okay then,” said Snake. “I will give you one more chance to keep your water. I will give you a HARD QUESTION and if you do not answer it correctly in five days I will tell you the answer and you will have to share the water with everyone.”
“I accept,” said Wombat.
“What is so delicate that even saying its name breaks it?”
CHAPTER 4
Wombat thought for days about the possible answer to the question Snake had asked her. She searched all of the books for answers but found no answers. Finally, the last day came and she still had no answer. The next morning, she decided not to go. She waited a few days before she gave up. The wombat stopped in her tracks. The snake laughed and said,
“You were always selfish from the start! So you didn’t find the answer and now all the water is FREEEEEEEEEEEE!”
The snake chuckled and disappeared. The wombat was so surprised that she went back home and became a better wombat.
Dramatic Play
Question: What inspires you in this space? What can you create, imagine a story, a history a new world.
In Woody Wonderland, nature becomes your stage, and the possibilities for dramatic play are endless. Encourage each member of your group to take on a character or persona inspired by the natural world around you. Maybe you'll become a wise old gum tree, a mischievous possum, or a guardian of the fallen log. Let your characters interact and collaborate to create your own unique bush drama.
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Play walks hand in hand with learning. Play is where people get to explore limits, expand on ideas or intuitions, where our lines of what is acceptable can be blurred. Play is the dominion of wonder, imagination, and laughter.
The Woody Wonderland, as the name suggests, is a space that has inspired great amounts of wonder, imagination and laughter. It’s a place where, due to it’s geography, a lower valley has retained its rainfall, leading to wet, loose soil and large amounts of tree fall through the years. This has created a space with many obstacles to climb over, cubbies to be created and a world to be imagined.